Life, Death and the Greater Good
by CrazyMihn
Summary: Blacksun is a Tau Fire warrior, whose squad has been almost completely destroyed. After making it back from a failed mission, he is given command of his squad, which now is filled with fresh recruits. Faced with a difficult mission, and rapidly running out of choices, he must lead his men to victory. But how can a soldier whose combat experience is slim (at the best) possibly win?
1. Chapter 1: Dreadnought Down

_122.978.M41. The planet Lethe. Imperial Space._

As bombs exploded in the distance, and the chatter of Imperial bolters filled the air, I crept through the alleyway, my Pulse rifle clutched to my chest. Our unit had suffered heavy casualties, and only three of us remained. I lead the group, now standing in for the unit's Shas'ui lieutenant. Behind me, the two other members of the group crept silently. Directly to my rear was Kais, our field engineer. She carried a Pulse Blaster, and wore a lighterweight Recon Armour. She was a expert engineer, and had personally redesigned the weapons we carried for greater range and accuracy. Personally, I though she would have been better off if she was born to Earth Caste parents, and not inducted into the Fire Caste at birth. She was one of the Ka'sti, the orphans of Tau society. Her parents were unknown, and she had simply been adopted by a member of the fire caste who found her. I'd known her since childhood, as I had with every other member of the squad. Except for Shi.

Shi was the other member remaining in our unit, and was the most mysterious Tau I had ever met. He barely spoke, except for expressing gratitude or giving affirmatives or negatives. He carried a Longshot pulse rifle, and served as a sniper for the squad. Unfortunately for him, he had been separated from his unit. Technically, he wasn't a member of this squad, but hey! At least he was doing something for the Greater Good.

As for me, well I'm Shas'la Sa'cea Mont'yr On'ci. My nickname among my former squad members was Blacksun, mainly because of my uncanny sense of sight. Without the aid of Blacksun filters or HUD's, I've been known to spot a Mal'ra at 100 Tor'leks. Most Tau would not be able to see that. Because of this, I carry a experimental weapon called the Rail Carbine. This weapon is a new variant of the rail rifle that turns it into a deadly accurate automatic weapon. Firing four rounds a second from a 80 round mag gives it a huge stopping power, and the ability to end enemies from a range just below that of a proper rail rifle. I was entrusted with this weapon after graduating from the Fire Caste academy on Sa'cea five. My shooting instructor recommended on my reference that I be given a weapon like this. The weapon is only starting to be issued to Fire Warrior teams, and has already been issued to 12 other Fire Caste La'rua.

Our target was a facility south of our current position. We attacked with five other units, but the facility defences killed most of the other teams. What was left of the cadre scattered, and we were left in the middle of the enemy residential district. After several run-ins with Imperial Guard troops, our squad has been reduced to just us three. Our objective is to reach a designated evac point, where a TV-99 Orca dropship is waiting. Unfortunately for us, at least twenty units of Gue'la are hunting us, and I'm not ready to die just yet.

I snapped back to the present when my helmet's T-Comm began receiving a long-range transmission.

"Fireteam Onyx, this is Orca 1124, over;"

I tapped the talk icon on my wrist-mounted Command unit.

"This is Onyx, we copy;"

"Fireteam, we are reading force moving in on our position, we are departing in one Dec. If you are not with us in that time, we will have to extract without you. Do you copy Onyx?"

I cursed under my breath. After I recovered, I pressed the talk button again.

"This is Onyx, message received. We will be there in one Dec.".

I switched bands and contacted the others.

"Alright guys, listen up! We are extracting in one Dec, so get a move on. Double time it, and drop all stealth measures. To the drop zone people!"

The three of us clutched our weapons, and began jogging as fast as we could on our hooves. The ground shook as a plasma bomb impacted nearby. We slowed as we neared a corner. I peeked around the edge of the building next to us, and halted. The others stopped behind me, and raised their weapons.

"Crap!" I exclaimed over the comm. "We have a dreadnought."

I gave a couple of orders, and signalled with my hands to the positions that the others needed to take. The other two nodded, and moved to take up the ambush positions. I peeked around the corner again. The dreadnought was slowly moving down the street, but hadn't noticed us yet. It was armed with a stubber, and a massive battle cannon. A litany of names ran down the iron armour that surrounded the living corpse within. It was well known to the Tau that the imperial machines had many weak points. Their armour was near indestructible to standard pulse munitions at long range, but a well-aimed blast at medium or short range cold severely damage them. the others reported in over the T-Comm, and requested further orders. I told them to wait for my signal, and then cut the connection. As the walker passed the alley, I grabbed a clip of HE ammo from by belt, and slotted it into the secondary receiver of my gun. I activated the silent jump-pack on my back, and rocketed onto the roof. I clambered through a hole in the duracrete surface, and into a well-furnished bedroom beneath. I looked around the lavish room and quietly shook my head. The selfishness and greedy attitude of these Gue'la. They hoarded wealth, and lived in these massive chambers while much of their population starved and grovelled. Typical of the unenlightened. I sprinted over the smashed window at the front of the room, and poked the barrel of my gun out. The walking tomb that was the dreadnought thumped by, leaving indents in the tarmac where it walked. I sighted on a exposed power junction on it's broad back, and squeezed the firing stud. The powerful carbine jolted my shoulder as the HE rounds flew away in a short burst. The powerful explosives thudded into the sparking metal box on the walker's back, destroying it in a spray of sparks and fire. The dreadnought's right arm went limp, and it spun around to face the street behind it. Unfortunately for the rotting corpse inside, Shi was waiting on a rooftop to my immediate right. He squeezed off a cluster of quick pulse shots, severely damaging a hydraulic fuel line on the machine's back. the walker collapsed, it's legs unable to move. Finally, Kais stepped up and demolished the walker's stubber with a blast from her weapon. She quickly shot her pulse blaster twice more, and took out another two power junctions. Finally, I set the fire selector for AP ammo, and fired two bursts of AP bullets through the walker's cockpit/tomb. The machine shuddered, and fell limp. However, our victory was short lived. A unit of Imperial Guard came round the corner to investigate the gunfire. They shouted, and let shots loose from their weapons. I signalled to Kais and Shi that we had to go. They replied in the affirmative, and quickly retreated towards a nearby alley. I stood below the hole in the roof, and with a last glance around the room, I fired my pack, and rocketed out of the roof to safety. We had about 50 Rai'kors left until the dropship departed.

 _OK. This is a story with a lot of words in the Tau Lexicon. So, I will make a list of words at the end of each chapter. For those reading on Fanfic, there are some things I would like to apologise for. Firstly, I had a false ending to the BTPS story for Borderlands. There will be no return of my utterly stupid character. For those who also wanted a ending for Depths of the Night: that will have to wait. I have had SOOOO many exams recently, and SOOO much preparation. So I will have to put that story on hold for now. Anyway, here is the glossary at the end of the chapter. This will be updated regularly._

 **In order of appearance. Those marked with a * are my own words:**

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**


	2. Chapter 2: Trial by Fire

I ran across the rooftops towards the rest of the team. We had left the Dreadnought and the Imperial Guard far behind, but were still heading for the dropship. Ahead of us, I saw the sleek grey form of a Orca Logistical Transport Vessel. The damm Gue'la had called for support however, and I could hear the hum of a skimmer on the street below.

My team were already gathered aboard the dropship. Just before I leapt across the final rooftop, the Orca crew radioed in again.

"Team leader, we have a problem. That skimmer down there is fitted for anti-armour attacks, and we don't have any more time to destroy it. You need to get onboard NOW!"

I grunted in reply and fired my jump pack. I heard a shout from the skimmer below, and the craft accelerated to match my speed. I was just about to enter the dropship at full pelt when a bolter shell exploded next to me, knocking me off kilter. I entered the dropship- but slammed headfirst into the wall. I saw vague shapes swimming before my eyes, and then blacked out.

I woke up in a small bunkroom with my head feeling like a Rak'sha had just danced a six-legged Kais'reka in my skull. I raised my hand and felt around the area that hurt. It was covered in bandages.

"How do you feel?"

I jumped in my bed. Standing in the door was Kais, her usually impassive face curling into a smile. She was holding a tray with a mug of some beverage and some pills.

"Like a dropship hit me," I replied. "That was what I hit my head on, wasn't it?"

She nodded, and offered the mug to me. I looked inside.

"Why is this full of Ky'husa?"

"I though you might want a celebratory drink," she replied. "Your Trial By Fire has been bumped up,"

I gaped. This was definitely a dream.

"When?"

She grinned. "Tomorrow. Today, you prepare for one of the most important days in your Ty'sera.

In Tau culture, the Trial-By-Fire is one of a Fire Caste soldier's most important ceremonies. The circumstances of the Trial are a strictly kept secret. However, the outcome is always the same: promotion. Every four Tau'cyrs, the Fire Caste holds a ceremony for every Shas'la. The ceremony takes place on the world that the recruit is currently situated on, even if it is a world under Tau Siege. However, the trial is always tailored to the individual soldier. It is said that each Tau is personally assigned the situation by a Vesa, but it is unknown what actually happens. But it has not been four years for me. So I ask myself one thing. Why?

Over the next day, I begin preparations for the trial. I spend one last evening as a normal soldier with my La'rua. I get briefed by a Shas'vre on what will occur. Finally, I am taken to a empty and bare room where I am told to meditate on what I have done to further the greater good. I spend the rest of the night in that room, meditating on battles and times past. Not that there is that many.

The next day is a bit of a blur. I remember standing in that room and walking mechanically to a place I do not remember, and meeting with someone who looks familiar, but I do not recognise. Finally, I am lead into the back of a devilfish and strapped to a gurney. I remember bright lights and sterile smells. Finally, I black out. However, when I awaken, I am somewhere strange.

I am back on my home world of Sa'cea V. However, my home town is in ruins. In my hands I clutch a standard issue Pulse-pistol. I check the chamber. It is empty. Suddenly, I hear a roar, and I see a monster charging towards me. I run towards a nearby building and shut the door. I back away, hearing the monster breaking down the door. I look frantically around the room, but only see rubble. I spot a dead Tau warrior, wearing full armour. I myself am only clad in a basic cloth wrap. I strip the clothes off the warrior, and gasp. It is my former Shas'ui. The corpse raises its maggot-encrusted head and speaks, the voice rebounding inside my head like a echo.

"I am dead now. But more death is coming. You must fight. Fight to save the empire, and to preserve the greater good. Fight for your life, and prove you are worthy…"

The corpse collapses, and slowly blinks out of existence, flickering like a lightbulb. I grab the last pieces of the armour, and pick up the pulse rifle my old commander dropped. It has a single round in the chamber.

"One shot, One kill," I chant like a mantra. The door is nearly off it's hinges now. I aim down the barrel, sweat pouring down my face, and also flowing up my face at the same time. The room is now pouring away, like water down a drainpipe. All that remains is the door, and the monster. I feel myself draining away, as the room swirls and turns to fire. I scream as the door shatters into a million shards. Time seems to slow down as the shards knife through the air towards me, and the monster charges. My finger moves like a sha'kra, my mouth dry and waterless. I pull the trigger as a shard slices through my cheek, and the monster jerks and dies. The last thing I see is the shards piercing my chest, and I feel the warm blood pouring down me. Then, there is nothing but fire.

I wake up back in the room I was in. it is now day, and the door is open. I feel my chest. It is clean. I look at my face in a wall-length J'karra that occupies one side of the room. I have a new gash, right where the shard cut my face. the door clicks open, and a Shas'vre I have never seen comes in with a helmet in his hands.

"Shas'ui Sa'cea Mont'yr On'ci."

I wrinkle my brow in confusion. "I am only a Shas'la. I have not taken the trial…"

His impassive face looks stern at this comment. "You have already taken the trial. Unless you do not have any recollection of that last day?"

I frown and tell him of what occurred in my dream. He waits until I have finished, and then nods.

"You have passed your Trial By Fire. Take this. It is your new helmet. Go forth and bring the light of the Greater Good with you, Shas'ui."

I take the helmet. It is like my old breacher helmet, except it is painted a solid black, and has three of my Sept markings instead of two. The communications vane is also painted in my sept colour.

"Report immediately to your squad barracks. You have been given replacements for your losses in the field. You then have three days to whip the new recruits into shape before you move out."

I nod, and salute the officer. He salutes back, and holds the door open for me. I leave and head to my squad barracks, uncertain of what I will find.

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: A AI or a computer. Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**


	3. Chapter 3: Onyx Reborn

I walked onto the training field outside the building. Soon after leaving the trial room, I had found that we were no longer on Lethe. I had assumed that we were back at the Tau Ti'ka, but I soon realised that the ride in the Devilfish had been considerable longer than I thought. I wandered a bit before realising I was back at the Fire Caste Academy on Sa'cea III. A bored-looking Shas'la was waiting in the barracks to tell me that my new team was assembled on Field 4, the holographic simulator dome. I looked around the field. When I was here training, this field had been outdoors, and had been built for live-fire exercises. Now, there was a dome in the centre of the field, with a entrance guarded by a single breacher team. I walked over, and the breachers snapped to attention. I noticed that one of them was Kais. Shi was missing, and my heads-up display marked the rest of the breachers with unrecognisable names.

"Sir!" said Kais. "Welcome back."

I smiled as she turned to the trainees and directed them to snap to attention. The Shas'la trainees sluggishly obeyed the order. I suspected that they were freshly promoted from Shas'saal, and were not yet used to the weight of full combat gear. I saluted back, and ordered my new squad to stand at ease. I gestured to Kais to talk with me privately, using one of our private gestures that we and the rest of our team had created back when we were Shas'saal recruits. She moved to one side, and joined a private channel on our T-Comm network.

"Kais, why is our new team a Breacher group?" I asked as soon as the connection established.

"We were reassigned. They gave Shi the option to stay or join another Strike Team. He left, and I was given a promotion to Shas'la'ui. They've taken your Rail Carbine as well."

I nodded, and made a mental note to requisition a pulse carbine. It would probably be more useful than a pulse blaster. As a Shas'ui, I could probably…

Just then, the sealed doors to the dome slid open with a whir. Out of the interior space stepped a Ethereal. We all sank to our knees, in accordance with the rite of Aun'Reka. As the highest ranked member of the group, I stood straight and then bowed deeply, and remained there. The Ethereal touched me softly between the shoulderblades, and spoke.

"A ceremony well performed Shas'ui. Your squad may be new, but they are prime representatives of the Fire Caste. A word to the side, please?"

I nodded, and signalled for my troops to line up nearby. I then walked beside the Ethereal until he stopped a few meters away.

"The High Council has observed the ventures of Fireteam Onyx for quite some time, Shas'ui," said the robed Tau. "You have been selected for a high-priority mission."

I stayed still, and watched as the Ethereal (who I now saw was a Aun'vre) pulled a Sli'vesa out of the depths of his robe. He handed it to me, and waited until I had read the mission briefing. I cursed softly inside my helmet.

"Honoured One, there must be some mistake…"

The Aun'vre scowled, a expression that was both ugly and beautiful on the man's soft features. He stalked towards me, and loomed over my head. I hadn't noticed how much the Ethereal's dwarfed Fire Caste Tau.

"Then let me correct that mistake _Shas'ui_. Your mission is simple: While our forces are attacking a Airfield on the Imperial World of Hades, your squad will perform a infiltration mission on a Imperial Guard HQ, deep behind enemy lines. Your target is a Kor'vesa that was captured by the Imperials. They are attempting to hack the drone's Sli'wei to obtain vital communications the drone was carrying. You are to retrieve the drone, and bring it back to command. Due to the nature of the drone's capture, your Shas'la'ui may be needed to repair the unit so that you can avoid worrying about carrying a 40 Lat'kan Kor'vesa. I fail to see what issue you have with such a task. All concerns have been dealt with by the High council."

I stowed my doubts, and listened. The Ethereal must be right. What would I know of the plans of the High Council. I saluted the Aun'vre goodbye, and returned to my troops.

"Alright Onyx! Listen up!" I ordered. Kais took advantage of this and shouted "Soldiers at attention!"

I stood in front of my new squad, and began to retell the details of the mission. When I was finished, one of my new recruits spoke up.

"Sir," she said hesitantly. "Why aren't we at the front now? Why are we here?"

I grinned. "we're here for some training. Grab your pulse blasters. Meet back here in five, and prepare for some holographic carnage."

Over the next six Rotexi, I began to get used to my squad. I learnt a lot about the minds of my young charges. Before I forget, I should probably record their names. The youngest of them was Shas'la'saal Sa'cea Kles'ro. 'Kles' was only 18 rotas old, but had the wisdom of a much older soldier. During holographic training sessions, he always seemed to have a Aku'zurg for danger.

Kles's best friend was Shas'la Sa'cea Xumxa. He had acquired his personal name from his incredible speed and agility, exactly like the creature of his namesake. I had never seen any Tau faster in both tongue and hoof than him. In training simulations, he was always point-man, and scored us many time-trial records over the six rotexi we spent in that dome. However, he was not the most challenging of the group: that honour went to R'alai.

Shas'la'saal Sa'cea R'alai K'tadie, the only one of my soldiers to earn two personal names before going into real combat. She was our designated sharpshooter, and carried a Longshot pulse rifle. While her first name referred to her uncanny accuracy with her gun, her second name referred to her tendency to be as sharp and blindingly arrogant as the desert storms that ravaged the planet T'au Prime in the summer months. Over the six weeks we trained, her temper never decreased, but she soon learnt respect and a small amount of humility. Kais was assigned the duty of dealing with her when she got into a mood that the team soon began calling 'the R'alai'tadie', or 'R'alai Storm'.

The last member of my new recruits was by far the most loyal. Shas'la'ui Sa'cea Yna'Idegi was my Gur'Terigun (serving as the next in succession to the squad lieutenant if both me and Kais were killed), and was fiercely loyal to a fault. In all honesty, he was the weakest link in the squad, as his aim was off and his equipment often misplaced. However, I knew I could trust him with my life, as he considered disobeying a order from his commanding officer to be the height of disgrace.

Finally, after those six weeks, we were put on a Orca transport and shipped to a orbiting spacecraft, one of a unique type of stealth frigate. Once onboard, we clambered into stasis chambers, and began the short journey to Hades, where we would face off against the Imperial Guard once more.

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: A AI or a computer. Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2** **nd** **in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic devise, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.**


	4. Chapter 4: Feet First Into Hell

_122.193.M41. The Planet Hades, Imperial-Tau border._

I checked my gear one last time. My new pulse carbine was holstered on my back, and was fully loaded. My trusty Pulse Pistol was at my side, and I had a full load of ten EMP grenades. In my belt pouches were enough ammo to last through many firefights. I pulled off my helmet, and checked the display on the back. it read full battery and all systems green. Satisfied, I placed the helmet back over my head, and sealed the neck. Inside the drop pod in front of me, the rest of my team were silently checking gear. I smiled happily as I noted that each member had now painted a bonding knife onto their chestplate, right above our squad identifier and rank marking. On the journey over, we had briefly been brought out of stasis to perform a Bonding Knife Ritual. I carried the ceremonial knife on my backpack, where it sat in a Kles'temur sheaf. I climbed into the pod, and stowed my holstered pulse carbine in the slot beside my seat. A Kor'ui Lieutenant at the door gestured that we had one minute till drop. I could already hear the small vessel's engines throttling up to maximum. The Kor'ui saluted, and closed the door of the pod. Another door slid down from the ceiling outside the pod and sealed the launch tube. I checked my harness, and then surveyed the rest of my squad, checking their harnesses by sight. I began to worry that under real combat conditions, my relative inexperience with command would damm us all. I checked my helmet timer. Ten seconds till drop.

As the hiss of the locking clamp hydraulics began sounding outside our pod, Kles opened a team-wide channel on T-Comm. His voice came cleanly over the speakers in my helmet.

"CHE'LEL'TY'FIO!"

I smiled at the chant, and repeated the words over the same channel. All the team joined in, holding the last consonant as the clamps released and the doors below opened. The atmosphere propelled the pod out of the chamber, and down towards the ground. Overhead, the pod's gyroscope whirred frantically as it tried to correct our re-entry path. As we entered the atmosphere, the pod deployed small guidance fins, which changed our approach vector to a steeper impact curve towards the target building. However, just as the pod was configuring for impact, a out-of-control Thunderhawk crashed into the side of the pod, and knocked us off course. Of course, I didn't know about this, as all I knew was that the smoothish decent had become a wild tumble, and that the was of the pod where Yna'Idegi was sitting was now a blood-splattered twist of blue and silver metal. The last thing I remembered was the pod crashing into a small apartment building.

When I awoke, the pod was blaring alarms through my helmet. The automatic fire suppression system had gone off, and the pod was filled with smoke. The Thunderhawk had left a massive hole in one wall, and I noticed that there was a couple of chunks of flesh and metal scattered around the pod.

"What happened?" asked Kais, her voice sounding confused. "What is…Oh Eurk!"

Kais was staring at a battered helmet sitting in her lap. It was a part of what once was Yna'Idegi. He was now separated into multiple pieces, and most of them were near or on Kais. She wiped it off, and unbuckled her harness. Her Pulse Blaster was sitting on the other side of the room, unharmed. I checked my own weapon, and found it to be operational. I disabled my crash harness, and began checking on the others, who were beginning to come round. Kais had begun checking our guardian drone, which was still in the alcove above the seats. She unfolded the Shield Generator module, and tapped a few icons on her drone controller. The drone shuddered, and lifted up on repulsor nodes. The four eyes positioned around the circular head flickered on and blinked rapidly. The communications aerial then folded up from a hatch in the head.

"At least the drone's working." Kais said. "Everyone else alright?"

A round of affirmatives sounded off. Xumxa reported his pulse blaster was broken. I moved over, and checked the weapon. Wires and components were spewing out of a hole punched in the side. I told him to use his pulse pistol for now. With everyone sorted, we stepped out of the wrecked pod.

Outside, the Thunderhawk had crashed against a nearby building. The nose was crumpled, but intact. Covering it was a splattering of blood. I shook my head, and stepped towards the wrecked ship. Suddenly, my helmet gave a sudden alarm, and something whistled towards me. I ducked, and the heavy bolter round struck the pod, detonating in a flash of light. I looked in the direction my HUD was telling me the shot came from. Standing on the roof of a nearby building was a Imperial pilot, holding a storm bolter. He fired again, ripping off a burst of projectiles that wildly detonated against the drop pod. The squad scattered, and took up firing positions in the eave of the crashed imperial dropship. The pilot shouted something vulgar in common Imperial. My helmet translated the sentence as a insult about my mother being a Ra'Res'kirsa. I unleashed a stream of pulse fire at the pilot, hitting him dead centre in the chestplate. However, the shots did not penetrate, and only sent him staggering. Suddenly, a single shot rang out, and the gue'la slumped, a smoking hole in his forehead. I turned, and saw R'alai standing there with her pulse rifle raised.

"Foul Mouthed Gue'la," she said bitterly. "No one insults my Shas'ui in that manner."

I retrieved the pilot's bolter, and collected a number of what appeared to be ammunition clips for the weapon from the man's corpse. I handed it to Xumxa, and asked him to figure out how to use it. He nodded, and tested the weapon on the nearby wall. Once he figured out the primitive and inferior weapon, he re-joined the group. I had pulled the mapping data from the Drop Pod's drone computer, and had managed to bring up a map on my Sli'vesa. I showed it to the rest of the squad.

"Unfortunately for us, we have been pushed off-course from our target," I began. "We are about 40 Torkans from the target, and deeper within Gue'la territory."

I quickly uploaded a route plotter to the Sli'wei units within my squad's helmets. A glowing blue line appeared, mapping the fastest route to the target. We began to move, scanning the streets for enemies. Little did we know that in trying to reach the target, we would come across a old friend and a terrible new enemy…

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: A AI or a computer. Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2** **nd** **in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic devise, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.***

 **Kles'temur: The Tau name for the atomic element 'Titanium'. Literally means 'Greater Iron'.***

 **Kor'ui: A veteran member of the Air caste, simular in rank to a Lieutenant stationed aboard a Starship.**

 **Che'lel'ty'fio: A traditional saying said when riding a drop pod to the ground. Literally means 'Riding the Lightening to the Ground'.***

 **Eurk: Shit**

 **Ra'Res'kirsa: A insult simular to saying that a woman is a whore. Literally means 'Wrong Sex Life'.***

 **Torkan/s: Approximately one kilometre.**


	5. Chapter 5: Friendly Fire

After leaving the wreck on the roof of the building, my team and I finally managed to make it down to the ground. We stepped out of the stone front door, and found the street deserted. On my HUD, my sensor data reported that no enemy units were in the vicinity. I signalled to the team to group up, and head in the direction of the mission target. I shouldered my pulse carbine, and took up position in the front of the group. Ahead of me, Xumxa scouted ahead, his appropriated bolter looking oversized next to his relatively small frame. He ducked behind a burned out Hammerhead (marking a Tau Advance through this area at some previous point) and waited for us to approach. Suddenly, a barrage of pulse munitions volleyed against the side of the tank. Xumxa returned fire, but quickly ducked back behind the tank as more of the energy blasts hit the wall. A marker popped up on my HUD, marking the location of a Tau Strike Team on top of a nearby building. I opened a channel to the other squad and began to speak.

"This is Shas'ui On'ci addressing the Tau squad firing on my men. Cease fire immediately. You are firing on a Tau force."

Whatever the reason, they ignored my message. As no shots were aimed at us, I suspected that the group was solely focused on Xumxa. I signalled to Kais to follow me, and sprinted towards a nearby alleyway. I kept low, and made it to the alleyway without mishap. Kais quickly followed, and reached my side within minutes. I looked back, and saw the rest of the squad hidden behind some sort of round Dal'Yebie that was covered in imperial propaganda posters. I supposed that it was some sort of streetside recruitment building or possibly a news vendor of some kind. I dismissed that train of thought quickly, and turned to the problem at hand.

I looked around the alleyway, and saw a series of metal platforms and stairs attached to the side of the strike team's building. I also noticed that the stupid gue'la had failed to construct a way of reaching it from the ground. I nudged Kais, and asked her to bring the drone over so that I could use it as a step stool. She looked at the metal scaffold, sighed and dropped her gun. Before I could question her behaviour, she jumped up, and pulled down a folding ladder from the side of the scaffold facing us. She shook her helmeted head, and climbed up, only stopping to grab her weapon from the ground. I followed suite, cursing myself at my obvious stupidity.

On the roof, we saw a team of Fire Warriors, all lacking their helmets. I noted that their armour colours were that of multiple septs, including Vior'la, T'au, and our own sept system of Sa'cea. I fired a burst from my pulse carbine into the air while Kais aimed her pulse blaster at the stunned troops.

"Which one of you idiots thought it was a bright idea to fire at your own side?" I asked sternly, as the other Tau looked on. "I mean, you had to notice that the soldier you were firing at was clad in Combat Armour?"

One stepped forwards. "I apologise On'ci. It was my misjudgement."

I recognised him immediately. "Shi? You're in command?"

The Fire warrior shook his head. "Our Shas'ui was killed by a squad of guardsmen during the forced retreat. I was third in command, but our second appears to have deserted our unit. I took command, but failed to notice that your man was not a guardsman."

I noted that the squad's helmets were lined up against a small wall. I asked shi about his lack of a helmet in a combat zone.

"We were taking a short rest on this rooftop and had removed out helmets to eat when our lookout reported a soldier moving down the street. We assumed that your man was Imperial guard and began firing on him. We are attempting to make it back to Tau lines, as our assault on this area was a disaster."

I told him about our current predicament, and also told him the purpose of our mission. He nodded, and offered his squad's assistance in taking the fortified Gue'la position. I accepted, and we re-joined the rest of my squad. Xumxa accepted Shi's apologies, and the squad moved on. As we moved, I asked Shi about the status of the Tau forces stationed on Hades. He replied in his usual calm manner.

"Our fight does not go well On'ci. The Gue'la have developed strange creatures to fight us. Our attempts to maintain a forward push have failed, and our main camp is assaulted on a daily basis. Moral is low among the ranks, and many have deserted."

He paused, and sent a request to me for a secure channel. I accepted, slightly confused about his secrecy.

"On'ci, I feel something is wrong on this world. The Gue'la are not known for using Ron'sha in their wars, and I feel that they are hiding something from even their own troops. The creatures are not anything we have seen before. They are almost nothing like the Y'vahra that once attacked our world, and they seem to emit a aura of fear. Our army's Ethereal's are also keeping something from us, and I fear that they know exactly what those creatures are. Please friend, be very careful about your next moves. I have a very bad feeling about this war."

We moved on in silence after that. I did not think that Shi was a madman for what he said. He was certainly telling the truth, as I had developed a knack for telling when someone was talking in falsehood. However, I would later remember this as the first time I thought that not everything was perfect with the Tau Empire, and that maybe the Ethereals were hiding something. Something very big.

 _Authors note: This story is going quite well. However, I have to apologise for something. A member of the community pointed out that a Imperial pilot should not be carrying a bolter, as they would have little reason to use such a thing. I will not change the weapon that Xumxa is using, but I apologise for not thinking that through. As well as that, I would like to thank the members of Advanced Tau Tactica for providing a good amount of information to aid me. For those needing a definitive dictionary of Tau lexicon, go to /fcPsUJm to find a complete dictionary of the Tau language, created by ATT poster TauMan. Thanks!_

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: A AI or a computer. Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2** **nd** **in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic devise, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.***

 **Kles'temur: The Tau name for the atomic element 'Titanium'. Literally means 'Greater Iron'.***

 **Kor'ui: A veteran member of the Air caste, simular in rank to a Lieutenant stationed aboard a Starship.**

 **Che'lel'ty'fio: A traditional saying said when riding a drop pod to the ground. Literally means 'Riding the Lightening to the Ground'.***

 **Eurk: Shit**

 **Ra'Res'kirsa: A insult simular to saying that a woman is a whore. Literally means 'Wrong Sex Life'.***

 **Torkan/s: Approximately one kilometre.**

 **Dal'Yebie: Street vendor, literally 'Street Shop'***

 **Vior'la: A Tau sept, known for producing quality fire warriors**

 **T'au: The homeworld of the Tau and the oldest Sept. Tau from this location are known as being wise and great strategists.**

 **Ron'sha: Genetically Engineered.***

 **Y'vahra: Tyranids, one of the most dangerous species in the universe. Hailing from another place in the universe, they literally eat planets. Known to the Tau as 'The Hunger' or 'The Devourers' which gives them their name.**


	6. Chapter 6: Attack by Khorne

Our squad moved down the street, guns raised. We had been trekking through the area for hours, and a deep mist had set in over the bomber out streets. The fog was thick, and we soon found that it was interfering with our long-range comms. After my helmet timer indicated that the 6th hour of passing through the fog was passed, I called a halt. I turned to Kais, who was fiddling with her drone controller.

"Kais, can you get the drone to run a chemical analysis on the fog?"

She hesitated before nodding. "The drone was slightly damaged in the crash, but I can get it working. Next time we take a break we should stop for about…"

A warning signal flashed on my HUD. Shi's voice crackled over my radio.

"Gue'la Soldiers dead ahead. Squad of about 10."

I signalled for the two squads to get into cover. Shi's squad hung back near a wrecked gue'la vehicle, while my squad huddled behind a upturned container of some kind.

"Are they Gue'ron'sha? Or are they those Astra Millitarium gue'la?"

One of Shi's squad (a Shas'la called El'anuk'la with particular sharp vision) piped up.

"If I may shas'ui, they appear to be the latter. They also seem to be kitted out for patrol, and should not be much of a threat."

I nodded, and thanked the young soldier for his information. I was about to order the squad up when a piercing shriek broke the relative silence. I ordered the squad to keep down, as I poked a fiberoptic tendril round the corner. What I saw has stuck with me to this very day.

As the gue'la soldiers moved down the road, their guns ready and scanning the fog around them, a group at least 20 strange creatures came sprinting out of the mist. They were not Y'vahra. They were something else. Their skin was red, and spotted with large patches of scales in the same, blood red shade. A pair of twisted animal-like horns sprouted from a impossibly elongated head lined with smaller, sharper bone nubs. Their teeth were jagged, and their feet hooved, almost exactly like mine. But while I fought for a power of unity and peace, these creatures radiated a aura of chaos, destruction and blood. One raised it's maw and spoke in a language my translator identified as low gothic.

"BLOOOOD! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!"

They roared again, and charged at the woefully outnumbered and understandable shell-shocked gue'la soldiers. A few stood their ground and died with honour, their pitiful lasers firing at the inhuman horrors. However, the majority of the squad fled, only to be cut down by the faster and deadlier creatures. One turned it's head in our direction, and scented the air. I whipped my camera back round the corner, and signalled to my squad to prepare to fight. As the first creature came round the corner, I squeezed off a long burst of automatic fire from my pulse carbine. The creature roared, and swiped at me as I stepped out of range, firing my weapon as I did so. The rest of my squad opened up with their pulse blasters. At long range, the pulse blaster does almost no damage to enemy troops barely scratching the weak armour of a gue'la Guardsman. At close range however, a pulse blaster can take out a dreadnought (something I knew for a fact at the time). The blasts of blue plasma blew the spiteful creature into chunks of red flesh, and coated my armour in red blood. I wiped blood off my helmet's optical sensors, and ordered the squad to fall back. We did so just in time. With a roar of anger, the other 20 or so monsters came crawling over the container we had been taking cover behind. They ran straight at us, their long claws gleaming black. I opened fire with my pulse carbine, and saturated the area. My squadmates blasted away with their shorter range (but more effective) weapons. The guardian drone threw up a field in front of us, briefly repelling the enemy. Behind us, the strike team took potshots with their pulse rifles, their fire adding to the volume of plasma heading downrange at the red monsters. Within seconds, almost half of the strange red aliens had been reduced to smoking chunks of flesh and blood. The monsters began to fall back into the fog, their cries fading into the distance. My Short Range Radar reported that they were no longer in range, and that no other active enemies were in the area. I sighed, and holstered my carbine. I motioned the squad forewards to check for gue'la survivors. If there were any, they could provide valuable information. We didn't have to look for long. We found one of the soldiers propped up against a wall. He was bleeding out, and his wounds were serious, but not life threatening. Shi's squad medic came to his aid, but scrambled back when he shakily drew a bolt pistol from his holster.

"Stay…back...xenos…scum…"

My helmet computer bleeped as it returned analysis of his rank markings. From what it could tell, this man was the squad leader, and had obviously been one of the men who fought.

"We are not here to harm you," I said, my translator converting my words into imperial low gothic. "We simply want to know want happened."

He coughed blood, pointing the weapon at the medic who tried to move forewards to help.

"I wont tell you filthy xenos anything."

I gestured to the medic who was anxiously shrinking back from the barrel of the gun.

"This is our medic. He is trying to help you. If you would provide us with information, we would be glad to get you back to your forces."

He laughed, and dropped the gun. The medic looked relieved by the action, but I signalled him to stay back and keep his ground. The man coughed and spoke again.

"The commisionar would shoot me for cooperating with you. I would rather die."

I nodded, a movement of millimetres under my armoured helm. I reached up, and twisted the helmet loose. I took off the helmet, and looked down on the man. I kept the translator headset on as I did. I squatted down next to him, catching his hand as he attempted to strangle me.

"There is a alternative. We have many of your fellow gue'la serving in our forces as friends of the Tau empire. If you would join us, your contributions would serve a much greater cause than your imperium. Other members of your kind still practice their…religion…within our empire, and are still welcome inside our borders. If you help us, we can offer you a place in our Gue'vesa auxiliaries."

He spat at me, but his face showed what I believed to be interest, or even the beginnings of agreement.

"What is this? A attempt to turn me traitor? I won't fight my own kind. That would be heresy."

I shook my head. "Even if you chose to fight, we offer our auxiliaries more choice in where and when they fight. You would be posted on a sept world somewhere in Tau space, and assigned a role in a planetary defence force. If you wished to ship out to the Damocles Conflict, or some other warzone, we would accommodate your request. We also have border worlds which were once those belonging to the imperium. You could live out the rest of your life on one of those worlds as a civilian. If you were inclined to such a duty."

He hesitated for what seemed like a matter of seconds before speaking.

"If I live through this, I will give your offer to fight with you some consideration. I will assist you in any way I can, but I will not fight my own people, and I will not follow your orders blindly. If I disagree, you will aid me in finding a civilian life in your space, away from the imperium. Now, let your medic heal me."

The medic moved in, giving me a thankful nod. Soon, the man was back on his feet, and had found one of the gue'la lasers that his squad had been carrying. I gestured for the team to move out, unaware that a few shapes were following us through the mist, waiting for the right moment. The right moment to kill.

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2** **nd** **in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic device, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.***

 **Kles'temur: The Tau name for the atomic element 'Titanium'. Literally means 'Greater Iron'.***

 **Kor'ui: A veteran member of the Air caste, simular in rank to a Lieutenant stationed aboard a Starship.**

 **Che'lel'ty'fio: A traditional saying said when riding a drop pod to the ground. Literally means 'Riding the Lightening to the Ground'.***

 **Eurk: Shit**

 **Ra'Res'kirsa: A insult simular to saying that a woman is a whore. Literally means 'Wrong Sex Life'.***

 **Torkan/s: Approximately one kilometre.**

 **Dal'Yebie: Street vendor, literally 'Street Shop'***

 **Vior'la: A Tau sept, known for producing quality fire warriors**

 **T'au: The homeworld of the Tau and the oldest Sept. Tau from this location are known as being wise and great strategists.**

 **Ron'sha: Genetically Engineered.***

 **Y'vahra: Tyranids, one of the most dangerous species in the universe. Hailing from another place in the universe, they literally eat planets. Known to the Tau as 'The Hunger' or 'The Devourers' which gives them their name.**

 **Gue'ron'sha: A Tau term for the power-armour clad Space Marines of the Imperium of Man. Literally means 'Genetically Engineered Human Warriors', a contraction of** ** _Gue'la'ron'sha_**

 **El'anuk'la: A creature native to Tau, simular to the Terran Golden Eagle. Used as a name when describing a Tau with particular sharp vision, or with a particular amount of wit/humour.**

 **Gue'vesa: A human who lives within the Tau empire. They are used as auxiliaries on the battlefield, but their use has begun to drop off. They usually use their Terran weaponry, but trusted individuals are given tau pulse weapons and occasionally use tau nanopolymer armour.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Battle Part 1

I poked my gun barrel around the corner and peeked out. My radar detected no hostiles which was confusing. Directly ahead was the Gue'la command centre which we ha been sent to infiltrate. However, the building was devoid of life, the sentry guns unmanned, the perimeter unguarded and the air silent. I noticed that the gue'la we had rescued (whose name was apparently Redwood) was trying to peer round the corner. When he finally managed, he looked confused as well.

"This isn't right," he said. "There should be at least 10 men on guard duty at all times. This is a warzone."

I turned to him. "Maybe they have laid a trap?" I said. "They may know we are coming."

He shrugged. "When I left here about 5 hours ago, there was chatter that the Tau had drawn back, and nothing about a counterattack. Then again, there was nothing about Chaos Daemons being present either."

I frowned under my helmet. "Chaos what?"

He shuddered before replying. "Servants of Khorne, the Blood God. I fought them when I was on Rigel III. They are creatures who live in the warp, emerging from the Eye Of Terror to murder thousands for their evil lord Khorne. You haven't encountered them?"

I shook my head. "They look simular to the strange aliens that attacked a agriworld a few of what your species calls years ago. The Ethereals said they were simply a new kind of alien, and that the reports of 'supernatural terror' were pure superstition."

He laughed, and put a hand on my shoulder. I tensed, but relaxed when I realised his intentions were not hostile.

"Ah Blacksun. Your Ethereals sound like real good liars. Chaos Daemons aren't aliens. Those reports of supernatural terror? That's what happens when a Daemon Prince is near. Your species was lucky to keep that world."

I looked down at my boots. "That world was destroyed. Over 100 thousand Tau died when we were forced to orbitally bombard the planet. The planet was lost, and almost everyone back home knew someone who had settled there. they came from our Sept."

He looked genuinely sorry. "To use a archaic term: That sucks."

I shook off his hand, and gestured the team forwards. I sent Xumxa out to scout ahead. The wiry Tau scrambled forewards, sprinting towards a upturned vehicle. He slid behind it, and scanned the area with a handheld sensor unit. He looked back, and waved us forewards. One by one, we moved out of cover and moved behind the vehicle. Xumxa reported over the communications channel.

"The compound is abandoned. We should get inside now."

I frowned. "Why? Is there trouble?"

He nodded. "I've detected about 20 more of those creatures moving in on our position. The base is well defended, and I'm not picking up any lifesigns in there, apart from small rodents and the occasional insect."

I considered my options. If we went in, we cold be walking straight into a trap. But if we stayed here…

"Breacher Team Onyx and Strike Team Zephyr, secure the Gue'la compound. Kais, find the captured drone and get to work on it. Xumxa, R'alai- get these perimeter defence weapons functional. Shi, get up on the roof and snipe any of those cha'so'vharra that come near us. Kles, come with me and help secure the interior. The gue'la may have captured weapons of our manufacture."

The two squads jumped into motion. Kles fell in beside me, and we began searching the building. the gue'la command centre appeared to have once been a administration building of some kind. Chairs and desks were piled haphazardly in front of shattered windows, and primitive lighting fixtures flickered weakly under the power of some pre-fusion power plant we found in the basement. On the second floor, we came across a old friend.

"Shas'ui! Look at this!"

I came over, and looked down at the compact form of a Tau Rail Carbine. Under my helmet, I began to smile. I grabbed the carbine and waved to Xumxa who was walking past.

"Xumxa! Take my pulse carbine. You can get rid of that puny bolter!"

An hour later, I was on the roof with Shi, Kais and the survivors of Strike Team Zephyr. Kais was using the fully functioning transmitter on the command drone we had been sent to collect to send a message to HQ. However, she was having trouble getting through.

"Shas'ui, I'm afraid I can't get a connection with HQ. their pings are being returned, but I can't raise them on comms."

I signalled to her to keep trying, and focused my vision down the sight of my weapon. Through the thickening fog, I saw several red shapes moving.

"Contact: Enemy sighted dead ahead."

As I spoke, Shi and his team pivoted their pulse weapons to aim at the shapes. Suddenly, two of the strange creatures launched themselves out of the mist at us. The automatic sentry turrets pivoted, and shot the creatures out of the air. They fell to the ground, where R'alai, Xumxa and Kles took them out at close range.

"Two kills confirmed, two hostiles still at large."

Shi and his men let of a volley of fire into the night sky. I frowned, and five winged creatures fell, a smoking hole the size of a dime burned through their foreheads.

"Five kills to your two shas'ui. Think you can do better?" teased Shi. I shook my head, and put my eye back to the scope. I sighted a group of seven creatures in the mist, and put a burst of explosive ammunition through each of their torsos. The creatures flew apart in a shower of gore.

"Seven down, 9 kills for Onyx."

"Three down, eight kills for Zephyr"

"One down, 10 kills for Onyx"

"Ha, another five down, thirteen kills for us!"

"Another two down, more on the way,"

As both teams fired off rounds, keeping the compound safe, I began to feel at ease. We were working together, taking down enemy creatures with relative simplicity. However, soon the bodies were piling up, and my breachers were forced to retreat. My rifle was running low on ammunition, and the Strike Team was nearly out of pulse ammunition.

"Kais, you better get us a transmission now!"

"Hang on!" she replied. "I've nearly locked onto a nearby comms transmission!"

"This is…mmander Shadow…replying to your distress call. I repeat, this is Commander Shadowsun to the Tau force on this bandwidth. We are on our way, and will arrive in…"

the transmission spluttered out, and went dead. I turned to Shi, the demons forgotten momentarily.

"Shas'O Shaserra is coming for us? The most decorated soldier in the entire Fire Caste? Our leader in the Uan'Voss, and the student of Shas'O Puretide?"

he grunted as he took down another flying demon. "Save your Gu'sell worship for later, we've got to survive if we're to be picked up."

His pulse rifle bleeped as it's ammo was depleted. He felt around on his belt for another cartridge, shrugged, and pulled his pulse pistol. Xumxa, R'alai and Kles came running onto the roof, and detonated the charges that we had placed in the stairwell in case we were overrun. The stairwell collapsed, blocking access to the roof.

"Ammo check!" I ordered.

"Shas'la'ui Kais: 12% full and two reloads."

"Shas'la Xumxa: 4% remaining and one reload."

"Shas'la Kles: Reloading, no clips remaining."

"Shas'la R'alai: 50% ammo, 3 clips remaining.:

"Shas'la Shi: No ammo, pulse pistol at 90%."

After the rest of Shi's squad reported their ammo, I reported mine (I still had about two full clips of AP and about 10 rounds of HE left in my carbine, and about three clips of pulse ammo left for my pistol), and took a moment to sip some water from the mouthpiece in my neckpiece. I was about to resume firing when a cold, piercing fear struck me. I felt uncontrollably anxious, and I felt even more fear for the fact that there was nothing that was there to frighten me. A winged figure dived out of the sky and took two of Shi's squad with it. The two unfortunate men screamed as they were pulled up into the dense fog. A moment later, a fine red mist sprayed down on us, and a few chunks of meat tumbled down.

"What in the name of the Tau'va was that!" shrieked one of Shi's remaining four men. "It came from nowhere!"

"Stay calm men," I said in what I assumed to be my most commanding tone. When Kais later replayed the recording from my combat armour black box, the voice sounded laughably shaky and tinny. "Whatever it is, we can defeat it!"

 _"No. You can't"_

The voice was a deep rumbling growl that also sounded amused. A second later, the owner of the voice slammed into the courtyard at the base of the building with a massive crash. It was a red-skinned monster, standing the height of a riptide battlesuit. It possessed a pair of long, twisted horns, and held a massive sword of some kind in it's taloned grip. It grinned, a expression framing a mouth of blood-soaked and pointed teeth. At that moment I knew that we were doomed. But, just as that futile thought passed through my head, help finally arrived. But for one of us, it was too late.

 _Authors note: Sorry everyone about holding off on this chapter and the last for so long. I was preoccupied, and also experiencing writers block. However, I'm back to doing normal business. There are four more chapters after this one, and I would like to write a sequel story continuing the adventures of Blacksun and his men. However, before I can do this, I ask one thing of you, my readers and followers: Reviews. You, the fanfiction community, have been surprisingly lax on this. My other stories have had more reviews, but I still need to gauge the mood of my following. I have received one or two private messages from members of the community asking me about elements of this story, but no reviews. Come on guys!_

 _Anyway, thanks to everyone, and don't forget to press to follow/favourite button! (A little pun included for those who use YouTube. The asking thing is genuine though. Please, follow this story!) (But only if you like it. I don't want you….you know, I think you get my point. Bye!)_

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2nd in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic device, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.***

 **Kles'temur: The Tau name for the atomic element 'Titanium'. Literally means 'Greater Iron'.***

 **Kor'ui: A veteran member of the Air caste, simular in rank to a Lieutenant stationed aboard a Starship.**

 **Che'lel'ty'fio: A traditional saying said when riding a drop pod to the ground. Literally means 'Riding the Lightening to the Ground'.***

 **Eurk: Shit**

 **Ra'Res'kirsa: A insult simular to saying that a woman is a whore. Literally means 'Wrong Sex Life'.***

 **Torkan/s: Approximately one kilometre.**

 **Dal'Yebie: Street vendor, literally 'Street Shop'***

 **Vior'la: A Tau sept, known for producing quality fire warriors**

 **T'au: The homeworld of the Tau and the oldest Sept. Tau from this location are known as being wise and great strategists.**

 **Ron'sha: Genetically Engineered.***

 **Y'vahra: Tyranids, one of the most dangerous species in the universe. Hailing from another place in the universe, they literally eat planets. Known to the Tau as 'The Hunger' or 'The Devourers' which gives them their name.**

 **Gue'ron'sha: A Tau term for the power-armour clad Space Marines of the Imperium of Man. Literally means 'Genetically Engineered Human Warriors', a contraction of _Gue'la'ron'sha_**

 **El'anuk'la: A creature native to Tau, simular to the Terran Golden Eagle. Used as a name when describing a Tau with particular sharp vision, or with a particular amount of wit/humour.**

 **Gue'vesa: A human who lives within the Tau empire. They are used as auxiliaries on the battlefield, but their use has begun to drop off. They usually use their Terran weaponry, but trusted individuals are given tau pulse weapons and occasionally use tau nanopolymer armour.**

 **Cha'so'vharra: A colloquial term created by Shas'ui Mont'yr On'ci. Means 'Strange Red Monsters'. Compounded from the words for the colour red, the word for strange and the word used to describe Tyranids (Meaning hungry monsters).***

 **Shas'O: The highest military rank attainable in the Tau Fire Caste. Equivalent to a Imperial Guard General. Notable holders include Commander Shadowsun, Commander Farsight, Shas'O Ral'ai and Shas'O R'ymr**

 **Shaserra: The personal name of Commander Shadowsun, the famous leader of the 3rd sphere expansion and commander of all Tau forces operating within and outside the Tau Empire. Means 'Shadowsun' literally. Shadowsun is known for piloting a experimental stealthsuit with twin fusion blasters.**

 **Uan'Voss: The tau term for the 3rd Sphere Expansion. The 3rd sphere expansion is the movement of Tau forces into other areas of space with the intention of creating new spet worlds to expand the empire. As of 8th edition (2017), the Tau are beginning the 5th sphere expansion, after the abysmal failure of the 4th sphere expansion.**


	8. Chapter 8: The Battle Part 2

Our salvation came in the form of a Orca. As I prepared to die in battle, a brilliant light speared down from above. A barrage of pulse fire rained down onto the massive monster from above. Beside me, the gue'la we had rescued looked up in awe.

"What in the Holy Terra is that!"

I smiled. "A Orca Dropship. It's here to help us!"

He laughed nervously. "What, by shining a flashlight? Good God Emperor, your airforce must be…"

He trailed off as the rear door of the dropship opened. A group of shapes in white armour thudded down onto the roof, their fall broken by the flames of their inbuilt jetpacks. As the dust and fog cleared, I saw a team of 5 XV25 Stealthsuits. The first four wore markings denoting them as Vior'la sept Shas'ui. But their leader was different. It was Shas'O Shaserra. More commonly known as Commander Shadowsun. Her armour was much bulkier and advanced than the mass-produced XV25 units. She carried a pair of black fusion blasters, their muzzles dimly glowing blue. As she landed, powerful servos in her armour pushed the suit upwards from a crouch. She wore no helmet, and she looked sternly down on the monster. The thing that our Gue'la friend called 'A Daemon Lord' roared, and started to run toward the building. As it did, the orbiting Orca peppered it with fire from it's long-barrelled Bust Cannon mounted under the ship's nose. The fire barely slowed the monster, and for a moment, the terror I had been feeling returned. I noticed that all my colleagues were affected, and I wondered whether the monster was causing the fear aura.

Before I could get to cover, and before the creature could slam it's massive shoulder into the façade of the building, Shadowsun took a step forwards, raised one of her blasters, and fired a massive blast right into the creature's face. The monster stumbled, and fell, crashing into the ground and tumbling end over end into a fountain in the middle of the massive courtyard. I cheered, ad my men followed suit. A command icon popped up on my HUD, and ordered me and my men to fire. I began firing off the last of my ammo into the creature. Shadowsun and her men cloaked, disappearing into the fog. As she did, the creatures from before began pouring over the walls in a wave. I counted at least 100 of the red 'daemons'. Then Shadowsun and her men reappeared on the far side of the courtyard, and began firing their weapons into the hoard. As they did, the Orca dropped to the roof, and hovered directly over the duracrete surface. The door operator began shepherding my men on. Shi gave me a nod, and headed onto the ship. I looked down at the yard, where Shadowsun and her men were becoming surrounded. I swore, and grabbed a abandoned pulse rifle which one of Shi's dead men had grabbed. I noticed that Kles was not boarding. I pinged his helmet with a evacuation order. He replied with a negative ping. I was about to say something, but decided that a more immediate task was at hand. I vaulted over the roof, and fell. I grabbed onto a dangling piece of electrical wire, and used it to break my fall. Kles did the same, and landed beside me. We began moving through the courtyard, firing our weapons at the hoard around. My pulse rifle became damaged, and I switched to my pulse pistol. eventually, we reached Shadowsun, who was standing on top of a pile of daemon corpses.

"Shas'ui, you should of left with your men." Said Shadowsun sternly. She tossed me a handful of pulse rifle magazines, their cylindrical shapes loaded with about 60 Rou'daks of metal ammunition per mag. I ejected the spent mag in my pistol, and slotted in one of the new clips. I passed a couple of the remaining four to Kles, who had just exhausted his last round.

"Thank you On'ci. May I say, it's been my pleasure to serve with you."

I grunted. Later, I would regret not saying anything, but at that moment I was more preoccupied with the oncoming hoard. As soon as the creatures reached the maximum range of my pistol, I began firing my pistol into the hoard, taking down many creatures. The stealth team put me to shame. Their burst cannons delivered massive bursts of fire in to the hoard. Shadowsun and her shas'vre commander began to advance through the hoard, their fusion blasters firing. They headed towards the massive daemon lord which was beginning to rise to it's feet. They fired volleys of fire into the creature, dodging the swords of those smaller creatures armed with such weapons. The creatures staggered under the fire, roared, and launched itself into the air. Shadowsun and her fellow oni'rua teammate disappeared, cloaking and vanishing from sight. However, the hoard was not stopping. Soon, my pistol ran dry, and Kles soon ran out of ammo. Both of us moved further up the pile of bodies, the stack piling up as high as the second story of the building. I was about to speak to one of the oni'rua shas'ui when a scream came from next to me. The massive creature was back, and it was carrying Kles off into the sky.

"BLACKSUN, HELP ME!" Kles screamed. However, it was too late. The wiry Shas'la disappeared into the fog above. I waited for the blood to rain down, but none came. Internally, I sobbed, and I felt helpless. Before I could break down completely however, Shadowsun reappeared, and opened a direct connection to my comms.

"Shas'ui Mont'yr. You still have duties to perform. Your man may be gone, but it is all for the Tau'va. The dropship s coming back, and we need to get to higher ground. I need you to grab the rollbar on the back of my oni'xar'vesa. Do it now Shas'ui"

I quickly composed myself, and grabbed the metal frame on the back of the unit. The suit's rear mounted Thrusters fired, and I was pushed upwards. The exhausts seared the armour on my thighs, but I still hung on. The entire stealthsuit team flew onto the roof, just as the hoard of monsters breached the collapsed stairwell. The Orca came in fast, spinning round as it moved on a trajectory matched to ours. The rear doors hung open, and I noticed that the craft was not going to stop. Just as it was about to slam into us, Shadowsun jumped (with me still attached) and flew right into the cargo bay. However, the dropship shifted right as we flew through the door (later I realised it was adjusting to collect the rest of the stealth team). this caused me and th Shas'O I was attached to fly straight into the wall. Shaserra was OK due to her stealthsuit's armour. But I slammed headfirst into the wall.

Just before I blacked out, I had time to think ' _Not again!'_. Then, everything went dark for the second time that cycle. Typical.

 _Author's note: Thanks again for reading another chapter of my story. Thanks to CapitalClassShip for their review! Just a few management things:_

 _1\. There will be another 3 'epilogue' chapters after this one. The next three people to review before that period ends will be able to create a character for the sequel story to this one. (submit by PM once I have declared the 'winners' IF you 'won') (not before)_

 _2\. I would like to request that someone with a account on TV Tropes and at least 2 years of writing experience on the said website makes a page about my fanfic. I'm not telling, I'm asking. If you truly enjoy my work, I think you should have the 'honour' of writing a page on the site. It's down to you. I won't force you, and I seriously don't expect you to do this._

 _3\. I would like to thank TauMan, Arka0145 and Kapoko94 on Advanced Tau Tactica for the resource they have contributed for that forum that have helped me write this story as accurately as possible. Thanks guys!_

 _Anyway, that's all for now. See you next time!_

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2** **nd** **in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic device, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.***

 **Kles'temur: The Tau name for the atomic element 'Titanium'. Literally means 'Greater Iron'.***

 **Kor'ui: A veteran member of the Air caste, simular in rank to a Lieutenant stationed aboard a Starship.**

 **Che'lel'ty'fio: A traditional saying said when riding a drop pod to the ground. Literally means 'Riding the Lightening to the Ground'.***

 **Eurk: Shit**

 **Ra'Res'kirsa: A insult simular to saying that a woman is a whore. Literally means 'Wrong Sex Life'.***

 **Torkan/s: Approximately one kilometre.**

 **Dal'Yebie: Street vendor, literally 'Street Shop'***

 **Vior'la: A Tau sept, known for producing quality fire warriors**

 **T'au: The homeworld of the Tau and the oldest Sept. Tau from this location are known as being wise and great strategists.**

 **Ron'sha: Genetically Engineered.***

 **Y'vahra: Tyranids, one of the most dangerous species in the universe. Hailing from another place in the universe, they literally eat planets. Known to the Tau as 'The Hunger' or 'The Devourers' which gives them their name.**

 **Gue'ron'sha: A Tau term for the power-armour clad Space Marines of the Imperium of Man. Literally means 'Genetically Engineered Human Warriors', a contraction of** ** _Gue'la'ron'sha_**

 **El'anuk'la: A creature native to Tau, simular to the Terran Golden Eagle. Used as a name when describing a Tau with particular sharp vision, or with a particular amount of wit/humour.**

 **Gue'vesa: A human who lives within the Tau empire. They are used as auxiliaries on the battlefield, but their use has begun to drop off. They usually use their Terran weaponry, but trusted individuals are given tau pulse weapons and occasionally use tau nanopolymer armour.**

 **Cha'so'vharra: A colloquial term created by Shas'ui Mont'yr On'ci. Means 'Strange Red Monsters'. Compounded from the words for the colour red, the word for strange and the word used to describe Tyranids (Meaning hungry monsters).***

 **Shas'O: The highest military rank attainable in the Tau Fire Caste. Equivalent to a Imperial Guard General. Notable holders include Commander Shadowsun, Commander Farsight, Shas'O Ral'ai and Shas'O R'ymr**

 **Shaserra: The personal name of Commander Shadowsun, the famous leader of the 3** **rd** **sphere expansion and commander of all Tau forces operating within and outside the Tau Empire. Means 'Shadowsun' literally. Shadowsun is known for piloting a experimental stealthsuit with twin fusion blasters.**

 **Uan'Voss: The tau term for the 3** **rd** **Sphere Expansion. The 3** **rd** **sphere expansion is the movement of Tau forces into other areas of space with the intention of creating new spet worlds to expand the empire. As of 8** **th** **edition (2017), the Tau are beginning the 5** **th** **sphere expansion, after the abysmal failure of the 4** **th** **sphere expansion.**

 **Rou'daks: Rounds used by Tau pulse weapons. Made of Tungsten, these metallic balls are converted into high-energy plasma, which then travels at high velocities with incredible accuracy. Even a few pulse rounds are capable of piercing the ceramite armour of a Space Marine, and a heavier burst cannon can take out a Tyranid Swarmlord.**

 **Oni'rua: The name for Tau Stealth Teams, used informally. A compound of 'oni' meaning hidden and 'rua' from "La'rua' meaning 'team'. Basically, it literally means 'hidden team', a apt description for the infiltration scouts.**

 **Oni'xar'vesa: compound word for 'Stealthsuit'. Compounded from 'oni' meaning hidden and 'xar'vesa' meaning battlesuit. Stealthsuits are small, agile battlesuits standing a head taller than a standard fire warrior. They carry either a burst cannon, or a fusion blaster for anti-armour capabilities. Stealthsuit models include the original XV15 battlesuit (retired), the XV25 stealthsuit (currently in service), Shas'O Shaserra's XV22 prototype, and the latest model, the massive XV95 Ghostkeel.**


	9. Chapter 9: Aftermath

I woke up aboard the orca dropship. My helmet lay shattered on the floor nearby, and a medical drone was tending to a wound on my head. Nearby, Commander Shadowsun and the remaining members of the two teams were in the middle of a debrief. I tried to sit up, and found a stealthsuited shas'ui pushing me back down. I noticed that we were ascending to orbit, which was a unusual place for a firebase.

"Grahl'ai Shas'ui. Your head wound is not severe, but your neck was injured in the impact. We are currently en route to a orbiting vessel, and we have picked up your team from the planetside command base. You should be…"

"Shas'ui!"

The stealth shas'ui was interrupted by the remaining members of my team. They attempted to stand, but slowly sat again once they remembered that they were soldiers, not undisciplined Yne'los. Shadowsun told them to wait, and came over to me. Her helmet was off, and she peered down at me quite awkwardly. She waved the medical drone away, and kneeled down next to my head.

"Shas'ui. Your actions today were quite commendable. I know you will have a lot of questions, but unfortunately those will have to remain in the dark. I was giving your troops a debriefing, and I'll tell you the same thing I have told them: The details of this mission and any mention of those creatures is to stay in this ship. The pilots will be thoroughly debriefed, and your team's rek'vesas will be wiped to remove all traces of this mission. However, there is another result of this incident: upon our return, you and your squad will undergo your trials-by-fire. If you succeed, your ranks will be accordingly raised."

She paused, and then smiled. "Congratulations Shas'ui. You have returned alive from a difficult mission. That is to be congratulated."

However, when I tried to be grateful that I had returned alive, all I could think of was poor Kles'ro, and how his life had ended before it's time. When the dropship landed aboard the orbiting vessel, I was quickly rushed to the ship's massive tae'run, where I had my wound tended to. The Earth caste doctors quickly and efficiently tended to my wounds, before telling me to wait in my berth for observation. I waited for about three decs in the empty ward while I waited. I was ready to scream silently from boredom when I received a visitor.

"So how is my blue-skinned xenos friend doing?" asked the gue'la we had rescued. He was dressed in civilian clothing, and had a fire caste marine trailing behind him like a erra'la. I smiled, and waved the Shas'la marine away. The fire warrior looked worried, but did as I had indicated. The human sat down on the side of the bed, looking quite relaxed for a person in enemy territory.

"The strangest thing is that I do not know your name," I quipped, "and yet you call me a friend. What is your name by the way?"

He grinned, and chuckled a bit.

"My name is Peter Maranon of the 25th Elysium Planetary Defence Force. But you can call me Peter. I didn't get your name, apart from the rank part."

I smiled. "In your language it is a bit of a mouthful. In mine too. But my full name is Shas'ui Sa'cea Mont'yr On'ci. If it makes it easier, you can just call me On'ci."

"What does that name mean?" asked Peter. "From what I gather, Tau names are like awards or honours…"

I nodded. "In your lexicon it means 'Shas'ui Bloodied Shadow from Sa'cea'. The Mont'yr part is a common title for Fire Warriors, as it means we have been in combat and lived through our first engagement. The On'ci part was given to me at the academy because I was usually the best at beating the infiltration simulations the instructors set for us."

He nodded, and stood up.

"Listen, I'm retiring from any military service. The xenos…sorry Tau…who debriefed me told me that I would be assigned a job on one of the sept worlds in your system. They said I would be 'treated as any other citizen would be within the empire'. Sure beats being in the PDF. Hell, sure beats living in the Imperium."

He turned, and headed for the door, where the Shas'la from before was now waiting. He paused, and turned back to me.

"Thanks for saving my life On'ci. You're a good ma…sorry…Tau."

I grinned. "Live on friend. For the Tau'va!"

He frowned and nodded vaguely. Then he left the room. I was left alone with my thoughts for another hour before the ship jumped to FTL velocities. I was then told to head to the troop barracks. Once I reached them, I spent the next three rota there till we arrived at the nearest Tau outpost. I don't really remember my second trial by fire. But I do remember one thing: My team passed, myself included. We spent the next four rotexi on leave, and we soon returned to active duty. But that's a story for another time.

 **So you may ask why I recorded all of this. Not for prosperity. I was always just another soldier. Sure, my team became heroes of the empire. Sure, we killed a lot of foes. But I'm recording this to mark something else. I won't tell you just yet. This is just one of four recordings. Each has it's own tale to tell, about the lies our leaders tell us. About what made me the person I am today. And about how when I thought things were over, they were not. This is Shas'El Sa'cea Mont'yr On'ci Signing off.**

 _Author's note: Well Guys it's been a great run. There will be another four sequels to this story (at least the ones I have planned). I would like to thank TauMan On Advanced Tau Tactica for his AMAZING Tau Xenolexicon which has helped me so much. I would also like to thank Kakapo42, Panzer and Arka0415 on the same forum for their incredible help with providing resources and answers to questions that I asked (some of which I used to write this story). Also thanks to CapitalClassShip and Zigga for their support throughout the writing of this story. If you would like to read more of Shas'vre Mont'yr On'ci, please follow either this author or this story._

 _On a more sombre note, I would like to take this opportunity to denounce the new Star Trek Discovery TV series. Star Trek has been a lifelong obsession of mine, as one of my earliest memories is watching the Original Series with my Dad. I have watched nearly every episode of the show, and it breaks my heart to say that another show (read: The Orville) is more like Trek than Star Trek Discovery. It felt like a betrayal when the show came out. I had tried to be as hopeful and understanding through the troubled production, and I felt like I had been grievously hurt when CBS came out with the pile of crap that the first two episodes contained._

 _Critics may love the new show, but I (and many other fans) feel that they have taken what Star Trek means the completely wrong way. Let me recorrect what they think. Star Trek isn't about the science fiction or the story really. It mainly is about the characters. Like any good fiction, you must try and balance action and talk. It either felt like there was too much action or too much talk. The writing was shitty, and the plot felt too muddled to make much sense. The characterization was terrible, and there was things like a bridge officer running off during a red alert situation and calling her surrogate Dad. No trained Starfleet officer would shirk duty like that, even if they needed info (which she definitely didn't). Would Picard leave the bridge while facing off a fleet of Romulan Warbirds and call Boothby to get advice? Would Kirk go and chat with a old flame while the Enterprise was fighting a Klingon Bird Of Prey? I don't think so. They would sort the situation out with whatever they have in the present, not randomly run off on the hunch that a federation diplomat (whose only reason to appear in the show is to have a loose and unsupported connection to the established canon) would have information on a enemy that you currently have in front of your ship._

 _But that isn't one of the biggies. There was conflict between the characters, which is one of the things that Gene Roddenberry created the show without. When you introduce conflict, it diverges from the optimistic and hopeful view of the future Star Trek tries (and mostly succeeds) to create. The first officer doesn't just mutiny on a whim, nor do Klingons strap dead bodies to their ships. The excuse 'they're a different house' doesn't apply: that's just lazy and unsupported writing. They're not hyper-religious cult-like idiots, they're a honourable warrior race with elements of Feudal Japan and other eastern cultures._

 _Frankly, the new show's disregard for canon and for the values and spirit of Star Trek came as a betrayal to me as a fan. When Disney bought back Star Wars in 2016, they did it with the intention of being true to the fans. CBS didn't make this show for the fans. They made it without thinking of us at all. As with anything commercial, it's all about the profit. But Disney got one thing right: Always go true to the fans._

 _So If CBS wants to please us, I recommend one thing, and one thing only: cancel the show before you kill Star Trek. It's been 12 years since we had the last show, and even Enterprise debuted better than STD. The fans want our show to continue the story. The majority of us want something after Voyager, and something that represents the values of Trek._

 _You may piss us off. But we will live long and prosper. We are the fans of your show. We're the people keeping your show going. Listen to our pleas, and give us the Trek we want. 'Caus without us: you don't have a audience worth creating for. Get your shit together CBS!_

 _Jake Loh, AKA Crazy Minh_

 **Appendix of Tau words. Words I have invented are marked with a ***

 **Shas'ui: A veteran who has passed his first Trial of Fire in the Tau Army. Often a battlesuit pilot or lieutenant in a Tau Fire Warrior Squad.**

 **Kais: A personal name meaning 'Skilful'.**

 **Ka'sti: Orphan, or literally 'Abandoned Child'.***

 **Shi: A word meaning Victory. Often used as a personal name.**

 **Shas'la: The lowest rank in the Fire Caste. Equivalent of a basic soldier.**

 **Sa'cea: A sept system in the Tau Empire. Known for producing very honourable and loyal soldiers.**

 **Mont'yr: Blooded. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **On'ci: Hidden. Can also mean Shadowborn when use personal name.***

 **Mal'ra: A Tau pest simular to a earth Cockroach. Unlike a cockroach, these creatures live for decades. A enemy that cannot be defeated is often known a Mal'ra'shi. Of course, in a universe like the W40K one, every single race is this.**

 **Tor'leks: Meters. The equivalent value in earth measurements is about 5 meters. For example, 100 Tor'leks is about 500 earth meters.**

 **La'rua: A team of about 6 fire warriors. Teams can go as high as 12 fire warriors, but sometimes compose of many more. Sixe La'rua form one Cadre.**

 **Dec: A length of time equal to about a hour.**

 **Gue'la: Human.**

 **Rai'kor. A length of time equal to about one minute.**

 **Rak'sha: A six-legged animal, simular to a Earth Cow. Lives in the Tau plains, and is known for producing a naturally-sweet meat which is considered a delicacy. Weighs quite a lot more than a Earth cow.***

 **Kais'reka: A dance, literally 'Skilful Grace'. Reka can also be used to express gratitude, e.g. saying Reka when someone has done something for you.***

 **Ky'husa: A Tau alcoholic beverage. Best drank swiftly before the drink cools.**

 **Tau'cyr: A Tau Year, equal to approximately 297.74 earth days.**

 **Vesa: Literally 'helper'.**

 **Shas'vre: A senior officer in the Tau military. Often a battlesuit pilot or a field commander. Translates loosely as 'hero' or 'knight' in Gothic.**

 **Sha'kra: A animal simular to a donkey. Native to the Tau sept world of Sa'cea III. Very slow and plodding, but also extremely intelligent.***

 **J'karra: Mirror. Can also be used as a personal name.**

 **Ti'ka: A field command base, set up where the Tau first establish a planetary foothold. Often prefabricated, or dropped from low orbit.***

 **Shas'saal: Non-combatant Trainees who attend Fire Caste academies. After graduating from the academy, they are promoted to Shas'la and sent off to fight.**

 **Shas'la'ui: A informal rank between Shas'la and Shas'ui. Often 2** **nd** **in command to a full Shas'ui, they have higher rank than other Shas'la.***

 **Aun'reka: A ceremonial gesture used to honour a member of the Ethereal (Aun) caste. Tau ranked below 'Ui tuck their legs under their body and press their heads to the ground, while anyone higher simply bends at the waist.***

 **Aun'vre: A noble of the Ethereal cast. Simular to a Shas'vre in terms of rank.**

 **Sli'vesa: Tablet Computer, simular in function to a imperial Dataslate. Used for communication, writing, education, business and entertainment by every caste. Resembles a silver rectangle with a screen (it is about the size of a book). Literally means 'Computerised Aid' or 'Computerised Helper'.***

 **Kor'vesa: A drone or other robotic device, literally 'Faithful Helper'.**

 **Sli'wei: CPU, literally 'Computerised Brain'.***

 **Lat'kan: Measurement of volume simular to a earth Kilolitre.**

 **Rotexi: A Tau week.**

 **Shas'la'saal: A informal rank, representing a soldier ranked just below a standard Shas'la. Soldiers in this status are usually special cases who have been put into action early. A notable example is Commander Farsight, the rebel leader of the Farsight Enclaves, and former leader of the Tau forces.***

 **Kles'ro: A word meaning 'Intelligent' or literally 'Exceptional Mind'.**

 **Aku'zurg: A slang word for a non-corporeal sense for danger, literally 'Sixth Sense'.***

 **Xumxa: A four-legged animal simular to a Terran Rabbit. Exceptionally fast and agile, they live in burrows under the Tau Plains. Considered a pest by many Tau natives.**

 **R'alai: A personal name meaning 'Sharpshooter' or 'Sniper'. Given to those with exceptional shooting skill, or used to describe the drones in a Sniper Drone Team.**

 **K'tadie: Means 'desert storm' or 'whirlwind'. Can be used to describe hot-headed and brash Tau when given as a personal name.**

 **R'alai'tadie: A special descriptor invented by Fireteam Onyx to describe their teammate R'alai. Compounded from the words for 'Sharpshooter' and 'whirlwind' (see above). Means 'Sharp Anger' or 'R'alai Storm'.***

 **Yna'Idegi: A personal name meaning 'faithful companion' or 'loyal soldier'.***

 **Gur'Terigun: Means 'Third-in-command'. Used to describe line-of-succession.***

 **Kles'temur: The Tau name for the atomic element 'Titanium'. Literally means 'Greater Iron'.***

 **Kor'ui: A veteran member of the Air caste, simular in rank to a Lieutenant stationed aboard a Starship.**

 **Che'lel'ty'fio: A traditional saying said when riding a drop pod to the ground. Literally means 'Riding the Lightening to the Ground'.***

 **Eurk: Shit**

 **Ra'Res'kirsa: A insult simular to saying that a woman is a whore. Literally means 'Wrong Sex Life'.***

 **Torkan/s: Approximately one kilometre.**

 **Dal'Yebie: Street vendor, literally 'Street Shop'***

 **Vior'la: A Tau sept, known for producing quality fire warriors**

 **T'au: The homeworld of the Tau and the oldest Sept. Tau from this location are known as being wise and great strategists.**

 **Ron'sha: Genetically Engineered.***

 **Y'vahra: Tyranids, one of the most dangerous species in the universe. Hailing from another place in the universe, they literally eat planets. Known to the Tau as 'The Hunger' or 'The Devourers' which gives them their name.**

 **Gue'ron'sha: A Tau term for the power-armour clad Space Marines of the Imperium of Man. Literally means 'Genetically Engineered Human Warriors', a contraction of** ** _Gue'la'ron'sha_**

 **El'anuk'la: A creature native to Tau, simular to the Terran Golden Eagle. Used as a name when describing a Tau with particular sharp vision, or with a particular amount of wit/humour.**

 **Gue'vesa: A human who lives within the Tau empire. They are used as auxiliaries on the battlefield, but their use has begun to drop off. They usually use their Terran weaponry, but trusted individuals are given tau pulse weapons and occasionally use tau nanopolymer armour.**

 **Cha'so'vharra: A colloquial term created by Shas'ui Mont'yr On'ci. Means 'Strange Red Monsters'. Compounded from the words for the colour red, the word for strange and the word used to describe Tyranids (Meaning hungry monsters).***

 **Shas'O: The highest military rank attainable in the Tau Fire Caste. Equivalent to a Imperial Guard General. Notable holders include Commander Shadowsun, Commander Farsight, Shas'O Ral'ai and Shas'O R'ymr**

 **Shaserra: The personal name of Commander Shadowsun, the famous leader of the 3** **rd** **sphere expansion and commander of all Tau forces operating within and outside the Tau Empire. Means 'Shadowsun' literally. Shadowsun is known for piloting a experimental stealthsuit with twin fusion blasters.**

 **Uan'Voss: The tau term for the 3** **rd** **Sphere Expansion. The 3** **rd** **sphere expansion is the movement of Tau forces into other areas of space with the intention of creating new sept worlds to expand the empire. As of 8** **th** **edition (2017), the Tau are beginning the 5** **th** **sphere expansion, after the abysmal failure of the 4** **th** **sphere expansion.**

 **Rou'daks: Rounds used by Tau pulse weapons. Made of Tungsten, these metallic balls are converted into high-energy plasma, which then travels at high velocities with incredible accuracy. Even a few pulse rounds are capable of piercing the ceramite armour of a Space Marine, and a heavier burst cannon can take out a Tyranid Swarmlord.***

 **Oni'rua: The name for Tau Stealth Teams, used informally. A compound of 'oni' meaning hidden and 'rua' from "La'rua' meaning 'team'. Basically, it literally means 'hidden team', a apt description for the infiltration scouts. ***

 **Oni'xar'vesa: compound word for 'Stealthsuit'. Compounded from 'oni' meaning hidden and 'xar'vesa' meaning battlesuit. Stealthsuits are small, agile battlesuits standing a head taller than a standard fire warrior. They carry either a burst cannon, or a fusion blaster for anti-armour capabilities. Stealthsuit models include the original XV15 battlesuit (retired), the XV25 stealthsuit (currently in service), Shas'O Shaserra's XV22 prototype, and the latest model, the massive XV95 Ghostkeel. ***

 **Grahl'ai: 'Take it easy', literally 'Take Slowly'.**

 **Rek'vesas: Recording devices that act as black boxes for Fire Cast Teams. Literally means 'Information Assistant'. Can also describe Water Caste Cultural Translation Matrixes that allow Tau diplomats to quickly and effortlessly examine relevant cultural, economic and social details on societies they are interacting with.**

 **Yne'los: A word used to describe unruly or spoiled children of any caste. Rarely used by the Tau, as their children are bought up along the premises of the Greater Good, and usually used to describe the children of other races within the Empire. Literally means 'Monster Child'.**

 **Tae'run: A sickbay aboard a Tau Starship. Due to the massive casualty rate in the 40k Universe, these massive facilities can easily span multiple decks, and can berth thousands of injured soldiers and civilians. Located amidships with easy access to the hangar bays. The largest Tau spacecraft (the Lar'shi-class Battlecruiser) has a sickbay that spans 14 decks and holds over 140,000 people at maximum capacity. However, this system is modular, and some Air-caste commanders replace these sickbays with additional hangars or extra Nova Reactors.**

 **Tau'va: The greater good, the founding principle of the Tau Empire. On a fluff level it is the doctrine that the greater whole is more important than the individual. On a meta level it is why the Tau are called (among other things) 'Weeaboo Space Communists'. But yeah, it's essentially Space Communism.**

 **Shas'El: A intermediately rank denoting a trainee commander. Not usually found among active combat personnel, and usually replaced with Shas'O by the time the Tau in question returns to duty. The second highest rank a Fire Caste member can obtain.**


End file.
